Cost and new tests for Blue badge

[treborc]

The maximum charge for a Blue Badge disabled parking permit is to rise five-fold to £10, the Government has announced.

It said this was the first increase for 30 years and in return badge holders would benefit from less abuse of the system under changes to the scheme.

Transport Minister Norman Baker said high levels of fraud meant 50% of badge holders now found it difficult to get a parking space and that fraud was costing around £46 million a year.

Among measures outlined are giving local authorities an on-the-spot power to recover badges that have been cancelled or misused, as well as extending the scheme to more disabled children under three years old, severely disabled military personnel and veterans.

A decision has been deferred until later in the year on whether or not to extend eligibility for a badge to people with temporary disabilities lasting at least a year, pending the outcome of independent research into the likely impacts on existing holders and local authorities.



Romour has it the government believe that only about 1 million people should be given a badge, GP's are to be stopped giving out badges.

I do not totally disagree with all this although the charge is a disgrace, as is local council saying that disabled people should pay the full cost of parking.

Ah the joy of being disabled....

[Paul]

My local council (South Ribble) do not charge for Blue Badges. You need to provide proof of entitlement in my case a copy of my DLA award.

[andypandy]

Its about time something was done, although I can't see how charging more will make the slightest difference. I am fed up of seeing people parking up with blue badges and then walk around the supermarket for an hour. I know someone who has a BB and walks around huge craft fayres. Drives me crazy !!!

[treborc]

yes Paul same with mine but this is a new rule change your local authority will not be able to do that in the future

[treborc]

Its about time something was done, although I can't see how charging more will make the slightest difference. I am fed up of seeing people parking up with blue badges and then walk around the supermarket for an hour. I know someone who has a BB and walks around huge craft fayres. Drives me crazy !!!

dangerous stuff Andy what happens if they have cancer , never ever look at people and think they are this or that.

A lady by me who I know has a nasty habit of reporting people including me, said once about a women I know, she said look at her, she pretends to be disabled, I asked who are you talking about and she pointed, I said she is dying of cancer, she said pull the other one, six weeks later the lady passed away. so never take people on what they look like.

[andypandy]

I personally know her treborc, so not dangerous and not going by what they look like, but pure fact, but I would never report her - whats the point ?

So please don't judge me before you know my facts. I did say in my OP that "I know someone" meaning that "I know someone" I do know EXACTLY why and how she has got the BB but aren't going into details here

I aren't stupid or nasty, but a genuinely disabled person who is naffed off by other "disabled" people falsely using BB - is that so wrong ?

[treborc]

You may not like it, but the fact is nobody knows what I'm going through not even my own family so saying you know somebody, well do you.

We all know the abuse in the main it's because the rules were relaxed.

[Paul]

Do you know when these rules come into force? I renewed my Blue Badge at the start of February, and nothing was mentioned then.

[treborc]

April this year

[ksmiles11]

hi is there anywhere i could check what the rules, costs etc now are ? mine isn't due till Aug but away most of June and dont want to mess up. What often gets me, prepare for backlash, is why do people using blue badge motability car etc, use disabled places, as i understand they can use car to get things for disabled person, and othr stuff sos it's 4am and havent slept for days, but y do they need to use a accessible parking place if they have no form of disability. As for not judging people i have been disabled since 15 really, but started driving using blue badge about 27, as i have always looked young for my age, it is often the older generation that stare, acuse me of making up my disability etc, then stride off at great pace, leaving me bemused, sometimes amused and sometimes angry lol